Drabbles for Irrel's AU Modern Day Comic Challenge
by LoveroftheFlame
Summary: This is a collection of drabbles I was inspried to do by Irrel's incredible AU Comic... They range from Zutara to Harula to Tykka, and from humor to angst. Updated!
1. Alone

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and am making no money from this story.

Alone

Azula watched her father place the osenko in front of her mother's portrait and urn. Gradually, every one of the visitors would do the same. Her nostrils flared with the sting of unshed tears. If Zuko were here he would never let her live it down if she started crying. But he was still in the hospital and Uncle said it would be a few days before he could leave. Only he wouldn't be coming home. Last night she heard her father and uncle arguing.

"_I want him gone, Iroh! I don't care what you do with him but he is not coming back here." _

"_Ozai, think about what you are doing. It was an accident. Hasn't he been punished enough? Don't make him leave the only home he has ever known."_

"_What home! **My** home has been destroyed! My wife… Ursa…" Agony colored every word. "I never want to see that… **boy **again." Her father's voice was low and had a frighteningly hard tone to it that she hoped to never hear for a second time. _

"_Your home is being repaired as we speak but if you do this, you will never be able to repair your family."_

_"What _**_family!_**_ My wife is dead!" _

_"But your son and daughter are not! They need you now. Don't push them away... push _**_him_**_ away."_

"_Save it, Iroh. Take him with you when you leave. I'll send his things."_

She heard a door slam and then silence.

Azula loved to tease her brother, loved to torment him, but she also just… loved him, even though she never told him. Zuko was kind, funny, _and… and… and…_ her lip quivered, the tears she had worked so hard to restrain breaking free to trickle down her cheeks.

_Oh, god… please don't take my brother from me too… daddy won't talk to me and I am all alone… _

She felt someone take her hand and press a tissue into it. Awkwardly, she swiped at her face before looking up at her companion. The boy standing there smiled gently and said nothing. His green eyes were kind and had a hint of sad understanding in them. She remembered suddenly that long ago he had lost someone too. He took her hand again and just held it firmly in his before turning to watch the sorrowful procession to the shrine.

And she realized with surprise that she didn't feel as alone as before.

Fin

A/N: Osenko – Incense sticks used in Japanese funerals. They last 12hrs

And yeah... that is Haru at the end.


	2. The Things You Do For Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and am making no money from this story.

The things you do for love…

After Zuko left, Katara wasn't the same. She didn't play pranks anymore and even Jet eventually left her alone when she refused to rise to his baiting. Her friends watched and hoped that she would come out of her funk, worried that they had lost two friends the day of the fire.

Haru secretly hated Twinkies. The nauseatingly sweet filling surrounded by that spongy yellow cake always turned his stomach a little bit… No one knew, but he really liked Ring Dings. They were good, chocolaty. And since no one else but Zuko's little sister Azula liked them, he didn't have to worry about someone trying to steal them.

Yet the day that Katara turned to him at lunch, eyes shining with a happiness he hadn't seen in months, and said, "Haru, wanna share a Twinkie with me?" He didn't have the heart to tell her no.

Fin


	3. A Little Rebellion Is Good For the Soul

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and am making no money from this story.

_**A little rebellion is good for the soul… **_

Katara tugged at the bodice of her gown one more time. _Stupid overnight puberty enhancement!_ Sokka had informed her before they left for the formal that any sign of cleavage meant a ticket home. Not that it mattered. Her "date" wasn't paying any attention. They just went as friends and she really didn't mind, but it was a bit irritating to have him ignoring her this way…

She grabbed his arm, pulling him around to face her.

"Haru, dance with me. Now." Her eyes narrowed at his "deer in the headlights" expression.

"Uh, I don't…" She didn't let him finish but just pulled him out on the floor.

Five minutes and two bruised feet later, she was back at the table watching him get her some punch. _That boy dances like a rock… I should have brought Aang… at least he is light on his feet… I wish Zuko were here… **he** knew how to dance…_

A deep sigh expanded her already burgeoning chest as she tried to put the thought out of her head. _He's gone and he's not coming back…_

"Hey there, beautiful. Care to dance?" A smile escaped before she could stop it and she looked up at Jet who was standing there smirking, the ever-present toothpick hanging from his lip. His hair was wild and his tux fit his lanky body like a dream. The boy was a hottie. No one could deny that.

"Won't your date be angry?" He had come with Azula, against her father's wishes… she was in her "rebellious stage" as she liked to put it.

He shrugged negligibly. "I doubt she'll notice." He said wryly, jerking his chin to the punch bowl where, low and behold, her _own _date was standing there laughing with _Jet's _date. _Huh, who'da thunk it? Haru and Azula?_ But both had faint blushes on their cheeks and were edging ever closer to each other.

She looked back at Jet. _Why not?_ Sokka would be furious, but she didn't care.

Maybe she was in her "rebellious stage" too.

Fin

A/N: The incredible Kirschreich has done two drabbles that companion this and give us a different perspective on this scene...

http://kirschreich. Nice Guy and #25 Bad Girl are the ones you should look for... Things are not always what they seem...

I must also bring your attention to this site:

http://clix.to/theau

Where all of the wonderful drabbles and art inspired by Irrel's AU can be found! Also art for the Punch Bowl scene can be found by clicking the link for "Nice Guy" in the drabble section.


	4. The Start of Something Magical

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and am making no money from this story.

**The Start of Something Magical **

"Hi Mai!" Ty Lee ran over to the goth girl and gave her a quick hug. "I'll be right with you in a sec. I just need to get my stuff." Mai had been picking her up from cheerleading practice ever since Azula ditched them for her latest conquest. She sent up a quick prayer for the shy boy. _Azula is going to eat him alive…_

Walking back towards the gym she noticed the football team was coming in from practice too. Some of them were already stripping off their jerseys and she was treated to several very nice and muscley bodies walking by. She knew most of them and they threw comments at her as she went towards the girl's locker room.

"_Hey Ty!"_

"_You coming to the party Friday?" _

"_Hey baby, why don't you practice some of those splits on my face?"_

The last came from a big freshman that had been hitting on her for a while. She was about to turn around and let him have it when she heard the meaty smack of flesh striking flesh and the loud clatter of a body slamming into a locker. Spinning on her heels, her eyes widened when she saw the captain of the football team grab the unfortunate boy's shirt and draw his fist back a second time.

"Sokka, stop!!" When he turned his head at her voice, the other boy took the opportunity to throw a punch to Sokka's midsection. What happened after that was chaos. Both boys wrestling and wildly flinging punches. The other boys all gathered around shouting encouragement. She wasn't sure whether she should run for help or try to stop them herself. Before she could do anything more than stand there wavering, the shrill sound of a whistle being blown signaled an end to the brawl. Coach Bould, or The Boulder as they called him behind his back, reached into the fray and grabbed both boys by their collars, hauling them up and hurling them against the lockers.

"What the H. E. double hockey sticks is Coach Bould seeing here? In my office! Now! They rest of you, to the showers! What is this wrestlemania?! Get moving! Coach Bould is pissed!" The coach had the odd habit of speaking about himself in the third person. A throwback from his professional wrestling days she assumed. The remaining players scattered, not willing to risk ending up on the wrong side of the blustery Phys Ed teacher.

She sighed as both boys reluctantly followed the huge man into his office where an ugly amount of loud shouting had already begun. _Oh, Sokka… _

She barely caught the, oh so brief, wink the tall pony-tailed boy sent her before he departed. A tiny smile curved her lips. _Tonight, huh? Ok, I'm game._

It started innocently enough. It was the beginning of the school year and she was in the town library, supposedly doing research for a history paper but really writing a fluffy piece of Blue Spirit fanfiction, when she heard some faint cursing coming from the upper stacks. She looked around and saw that she was relatively alone save for a painfully slender girl manning the desk at the far end of the hall. The girl obviously hadn't heard anything as she wasn't looking around but merely kept her head buried in the romance novel she was reading. _Ooooh, I have that book!_

Ty Lee began to reminisce about hours lost with a patch-wearing pirate who had pretty, pretty hair and a penchant for capturing innocent maidens… _ I wish someone would capture me…_ _That's it! My next fic will **definitely** have the Blue Spirit capturing the Water Witch… I don't think anyone's done **that** before… _A dull thud and a yelp from above cut into her salacious plotting.

Curiosity finally getting the best of her, she closed her laptop and decided to investigate.

The back stairs to the upper stacks were dark but she walked up anyway. It was dim and dusty on the second floor of the library. _How are people supposed to find anything?_ But she guessed that they didn't get too many takers for the books stored there. Obscure and relatively unpopular research material filled the long row of bookcases. She followed the sound of what now seemed to be frustrated _grunting? Oh god, please don't let some nut be up here doing something nasty… _She looked over the railing to the floor below and saw that the librarian was gone._ Great. Maybe this is bad idea._

"_Oh, come on!" _

_That voice sounds familiar…_ Peeking around the corner of the last bookcase she was treated to the incongruous image of Sokka Hakoda half climbing the shelves, his arm fruitlessly straining to reach the top shelf. Several loose books littered the floor around him.

"You know they have ladders for that."

He turned and immediately lost his balance, twisting and landing on the floor in a loud clamor of books and cursing.

"HEY!! Don't sneak up on a guy like that! I could have hurt you!"

She giggled. "_Really?_ Using what? Book-Fu? Looks like you need a few more lessons."

Ignoring her comment he glared, but the glowing pink tips of his ears marred the fearsome frown. "For your information, the ladder is broken."

As he got to his feet, injured pride evident in his every move, she noticed that the sliding ladder for this shelf was indeed broken, a faded "Do not use" sign hanging lopsidedly from a split rung.

"Huh. You're right. It is broken."

"Of course, I'm right! I just told _you_ that!" He squawked indignantly.

She slipped past him to examine it closer. "You should relax, Sokka. Your aura is getting so gray…"

His mouth gaped open. "What the? Aura? Wait, do I _know _you?"

Dropping the sign and leaning over to pick up a book by her foot she asked curiously, "You don't remember me? We all used to hang out together." She felt a tiny bit hurt because she remembered him, oh yes she did… _How could I forget my first crush?_

Comprehension dawned on his face and he smirked. "Oh yeah, you're Zuko's sister's friend. Tyra, right?"

She frowned. "It's Ty Lee."

She was stunned by the incredibly handsome smile that suddenly lit his face, making those beautiful blue eyes sparkle. "I know, I was just messing with you. How have you been?"

After the fire, the group had never been the same. Zuko was gone and Azula turned into this diamond hard imitation of herself, her mischievousness morphing into outright cruelty. Ty Lee and Mai stuck with her though, but the others drifted away until the only time they saw each other was in passing at school… They ran in different circles and rarely interacted.

"I've been all right. How is your sister?" She had always liked his sister. She played the best pranks.

Sighing he turned back to the bookcase. "She is the reason I'm here. She has a cold. But insists that she has to finish her homework anyway." He kicked the bookcase.

"Stupid Katara and her dumb paper 'due tomorrow'". He raised his voice in mocking imitation. "'I need it Sokka, please get it for me?' She would need _that_ book of all books." He gestured to the top shelf. She didn't know exactly where he was looking but she could tell it was out of reach.

Giggling she placed a hand on his arm, his surprisingly hard arm… And had to shake her head to clear it of the instant daydream of being swept into a passionate kiss by said arm.

Unexpectedly, he looked down at her. _When did he get so tall? _"Hey, maybe you can help me!"

"How? I can't reach up there."

The devious smirk on his face made her slightly nervous. She recalled seeing it right before something awful would happen when they were children.

"You can if I lift you."

"Lift me?"

"Oh, come on! Don't act like that would scare you. I know I saw you at cheerleader tryouts last week. Remember? 'Gooo Avatars!' What do you say?"

In a flash of inspiration that would make the most imaginative author proud, she decided to live out a secret fantasy…

Cocking her head to the side and twirling her braid she said slyly, "What's in it for me?"

He looked dumbfounded for a second. "Uh, what do you want?"

_What could I possibly want from the hottest guy I've seen in ages?_

Dropping her voice to the seductive pitch she practiced in her room late at night, she said, "A kiss. A good one."

A sexy smirk curved his lips and he stepped closer to her. "A good one, huh?"

The air stilled. It was so silent she swore she could hear dust motes hitting the ground. She could barely breathe.

Her skin tingled when he cupped her chin. "I think I can mange that…"

She wasn't sure what she expected. The other boys she had kissed, and there were quite a few, maybe not a cute as Sokka, but a few, had been either too enthusiastic, slavering her face and chin with sloppy wetness or too rough, bruising her mouth and not in the good way. She always wanted to know what kissing Sokka Hakoda would be like and she could scarcely believe she was about to find out.

She wasn't prepared for the gentle brushing of his mouth on hers, for the way he teased her lips, parting them for his tongue to trace the inner curve of her lower lip. Her eyes fluttered shut and she put her arms around his neck pressing herself against his _ooh **baby**..._ hard body. He moaned softly and deepened the kiss, crushing her to him in a rush of passion that sent waves of shivery pleasure through her body. This was better than any romance novel or fanfiction lemon ever could be… she never wanted him to stop kissing her…

Eventually the librarian had to kick them out, blushing wildly at their state of undress. Katara never got her book and Sokka had to put up with finding slimy things in his bed for a week but it was a glorious beginning.

From then on they would meet secretly to be together, each time picking a different place, trying to surprise each other with their inventiveness. Reveling in the scandalous excitement of the clandestine affair. A wink or a, not so casual, glance was the signal that tonight was the night. This time it was his turn to choose. A hot thrill went through her as she wondered what he had planned...

But she wasn't his girlfriend. He already had two of those who fought over him like crazed dogs in heat. Suki, who wore entirely too much make-up and Yue, who bleached her hair so much it was practically white.

_Fight all you want girls…_ She thought later as she plunged her fingers into his loosened hair and listened to him pant in her ear.

_I am perfectly happy to have this and as long as he keeps fulfilling my fantasies I always will be… hrmmm…_

"Sokka, you ever hear of a capture fic?"

Fin


	5. Appetite

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender and am making no money from this story.

Appetite

Zuko shuddered as he strained against her… mouth open and seeking…

"Please Katara, I need it. Please, I want it so badly…"

But the evil vixen evaded his seeking lips, bending to run the tip of her tongue… _Stop…_ along the cream that rose to meet her gentle squeeze.

"This is so good, Zuko. Mmmmm… but I think I need more."

There was a mischievous sparkle in her eyes as she bit down lightly.

His eyes widened and a strangled gasp was torn from his throat. "God, you are trying to kill me!"

"You want this don't you?" Her tongue slipped out to lick at her lips. "Soo sweet… "

He thought he would die of hunger right then and there, a burning need filling his belly. He would simply die if she wouldn't give him what he wanted. Now. He'd never wanted something so badly in his life, well since the last time that is… At times he thought he would never get enough, never get his fill…

"Oh god, please…" He was shaking now, hands trembling with desire. "Don't do this to me…"

But she only laughed. "You brought it on yourself." She lowered her head to her task.

Surrendering at last, he fell back on her bed and groaned, eyes slamming shut as she consumed the final bite of the Twinkie.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Zuko. The deal was if you didn't conjugate those verbs correctly that I would get the last one, so quit your boo-hooing…"

Fin


	6. Premonition

This is set 20 years after graduation... Some things are never forgotten. But this time she would listen...

Premonition

She was doing paper work when she saw the report of the car crash on the news, a three-car pile–up on the interstate. Apparently, a drunk driver had crossed the median and slammed head on into another car, which was then rear-ended by another. There was only one survivor. She was reaching for the remote to turn up the volume when the phone rang.

It was her sister-in-law, and she was crying.

"Azula, you need to come to the hospital… something's happened…" A sick, ice-cold shiver ran down her spine at those all too vague words.

"What happened? Is Haru all right? Is Zuko?" The guys had left hours ago for a football game. _Oh god… they would have been on the interstate…_ _No…_ she glanced quickly back at the television but by then the weather report was on.

"Just come…" The line went dead and she just held the phone loosely in her hand until her son's voice shook her out of her daze.

"Mom? What's wrong?" She looked up at him. At fifteen he was nearly as tall as his father and she knew the fear in his bronze eyes was mirrored in her own.

"Get your sister."

The trip to the hospital seemed endless. She had no answers for her children's questions and had resorted to snapping at them to keep quiet.

She found Katara behind a curtain-draped cubicle in the emergency room. She was sitting next to Zuko who was propped up by pillows on a gurney while a nurse wrapped bandages around his arm.

His face was so white that his scar looked painted in blood… until she realized that _was_ blood.

"Where is he? Where is Haru?" None of the doctors or nurses would answer her when she asked before.

"Azula… I'm so sorry…" She could feel herself begin to shake as she watched tears slowly trail down her brother's cheeks, making pale streaks ending in crimson drops that fell to the pristine white sheets.

At first she could only look back and forth between their faces. Searching in vain for some shred of untruth. But the pity and grief she found there meant only one thing…

She heard someone screaming, crying out over and over… "No… No… NO!!" Only when she felt the pinch of a needle in her arm and the silence drifted over her, did she realize it was her.

"Azula… Azula, wake up… Wake up…" His voice came as if from far away and she wondered if he was going to haunt her now…

Opening her eyes slowly, she looked into a face she never expected to see again. Clutching him to her, she could only cry and say his name over and over again.

"Haru, Haru, Haru…"

"Honey, what's wrong? I didn't want to wake you, but you looked like you were having a nightmare. I was just about to go pick up Zuko for the game, but are you going to be ok?"

In a flash it all came back to her… The game, the crash… the hospital.

"NO!! Don't go… Don't go to the game… stay with me… please." He frowned but he knew his wife, and she never acted like this. Something was wrong.

Pulling her onto his lap, he hugged her close. "Ok. I'll call and tell him I can't make it."

She sighed and drooped with relief. She knew this was no ordinary dream… even though she'd had only one like it before…

A nightmare filled with incense and screaming… and flames.

Fin


	7. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

Irrel did another incredible piece of art for the AU here: Snowball Fight (Found at the Katara Zuko lj comm) and anais ninja raised the question of what would have happened if Jet threw his snowball and it struck Azula instead of its intended target Zuko...

Well, the idea rattled around in my head and after a quick character consult and dialogue plotting chat with Kirschreich I came up with this...

OooooooooooooooooooooO

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

It was the holiday break and everyone had come home to visit. They were all in the backyard of Katara's house playing in the snow. It should have been a happy time and it was, for everyone except a certain scruffy-haired young man.

_Move, Katara, I have a little present for Zuko._ Jet hefted the snowball, packed it hard again and smirked. It was a petty way to repay the guy who stole his girl from him but it was better than nothing. _Scar-faced jerk._

Just then Zuko stood up, laughing at Katara and shaking snow out of his hair. _This is my chance. _But at the same moment the projectile left his hand, Katara knocked Zuko's feet out from under him leaving a clear shot at… Azula.

A shocked laugh left his mouth at the sight of the snow hitting the side of her head and plopping down her bare neck and collarbone. It _was_ funny. And she deserved it too, so he didn't really feel all that bad about it. Leaving _him _for that pansy Haru. His humor evaporated when she whipped her blazing bronze eyes towards him and took a step in his direction, claws extended.

"Jet, you _bastard_!" Ouch. This was gonna hurt. He prepared to run.

Before she could even take more than that first step though, her boyfriend put a hand on her shoulder and started to wipe the quickly melting snow away from her exposed skin. He saw Haru murmur something in her ear and then amazingly she just nodded and let him lead her back towards the house. He watched them leave thinking how much of a wuss Azula's new boy toy was when Haru looked back at him.

By then everyone had stopped to see what was happening. Suki and Toph were freaking out and calling him all kinds of names. Under the direction of Katara, Zuko, Sokka, and Aang just started making snowballs. Hard ones.

But all Jet could see were ice-cold green eyes glittering like diamonds and he shuddered slightly. Whoever this guy glaring at him now was, he was NOT the harmless boy he had grown up with. Haru blinked and the black expression disappeared making Jet wonder if he hadn't been seeing things, then Haru turned away and continued walking.

Jet didn't have much time to think about that though, as he was then buried in a barrage of rock solid snow coming from all directions.

OoooooooooO

Haru sat on the living room floor with his arms wrapped around the dozing girl in his lap. She shivered again; he tucked her blanket closer and began to calculate.

_Jet. _

_Weaknesses:_

_Katara, PSP, Katara, and that pathetic game of one-upmanship he has with Zuko. _

How to use that information to repay his actions from earlier, however?

He was still ruminating when Aang sat down next to him. "Is she ok?" The boy lifted his mug of hot cocoa towards Azula.

"Yeah, she's fine." He smiled softly and looking down, brushed some hair off her forehead. The lingering dampness of it made his face tighten momentarily in fury. Typically, his young companion didn't notice. No one ever did. A loud cry arose from the vicinity of the television and he looked up to see Katara crowing in triumph as she beat Zuko yet again at Mortal Combat.

"Flawless Victory!"

Jet, who had been standing behind the couch, jumped over it and shoved his way between the couple. "You lose, Sozin! My turn!" Rolling his eyes, Zuko got up and walked over to sit by Sokka who was playing cards with Toph and Suki.

_Oh, Jet is making this too easy. _

Haru arranged his expression into one of worried melancholy and sighed. Predictably, Aang looked at him. "Something wrong?"

"It's just… sad."

"What is?" At Aang's look of confusion, Haru raised his eyebrows and jerked his chin pointedly at the teen with the peppermint stick clenched between his teeth on the couch across the room.

The boy followed his look and laughed lightly. "I really doubt Azula would ditch you for him, if that's what you're worried about. Especially after today."

Haru just shook his head and shot another seemingly nervous glance at Jet, who, true-to-form, was presently hugging an arm around Katara's shoulder. "Better luck next time, Kat!"

Aang's already large eyes rounded even further. "Wait, you don't mean?"

But Haru only sighed again and stood, placing his precious bundle on the couch behind him, arranging the blanket around her sleeping form carefully. Aang looked up at him but Haru averted his gaze. "Never mind…" He smirked to himself as he saw the boy's eyes suddenly narrow on Jet.

Raising his voice a bit louder, Haru called out. "Anyone game for more hot chocolate?" As he walked into the kitchen he could hear the chaos begin.

"_Hey JET! Why don't you get your hands off Zuko's girlfriend!"_

"_What?!! I'm not touching her!"_

"_Jet, you ass! You just can't leave well enough alone can you?"_

"_Why do you have to be such a sneaky bastard, Jet?!"_

Soon the sound of the meaty smack of flesh on flesh added to the mix. As he was alone, Haru let a radiant grin break across his face.

"Pretty pleased with yourself, huh?" Turning to the familiar sleep roughened voice coming from the doorway, he cocked an eyebrow at the woman he had loved since he was a child.

"I don't know what you mean."

Azula approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing a cheek to his chest. "Sure you don't. But thanks anyway."

OoooooooooO

Later, as a benevolent but smirking, Katara handed him a bag of ice for his eye, Jet wondered what the hell had just happened. He really and truly hadn't been trying anything… that time. He absently looked around the room and attempted to figure it out when his gaze fell on that pretty boy Azula dumped him for. Haru was looking right back at him and for an instant Jet saw that "other" boy. Then the moment was gone, leaving him to wonder yet again just what he saw.

Haru simply smiled politely. "How's the eye, Jet?"

Fin


End file.
